An Excuse
by Emma6
Summary: AU. The Salem Witch Trials meet the characters of Charmed. P/L *Finished!*
1. Chapter 1

Title: An Excuse  
  
Author: Emma  
  
Summary: An AU fic. about the Salem Witch Trials. P/L  
  
Feedback: Yes please! If you don't want to post here you can email me at tuohy@livenet.net .  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognize.  
  
Spoilers: Absolutely none.  
  
Rating: I don't really know...how about PG. :D  
  
A/N: This is extremely AU. No one is magical. I will be writing more of No One Can Hear You Scream soon hopefully. (  
  
An Excuse: 1/?  
  
"Piper, will you go to town and sell these eggs? Make sure you sell them for the best price."  
  
"Yes, mama." The fragile 15-year-old brought the carriage and two mules around to the front of the house and but the cartons of eggs in the back. She loved going to town. She would always find out the latest news about the witch trials. She was always scared that one of her friends or family would be tried but and she thought it completely wrong but what could a girl of 15 do in a society where her family was thought of as 'outsiders' and 'not worthy of the society's blessings'? She traveled the long journey into town squinting in the sunlight.  
  
"Hello Piper!" It was Dan, the mischievous boy who always brought her the news of the Witch Trials.  
  
"Hi Dan! Any news?"  
  
"Actually there is and I'm sorry to say you won't like it." His face was grave and Piper knew something was wrong.  
  
"Oh! Why not?" Piper's eyes glimmered, anxiously awaiting the news.  
  
"They're after you."  
  
"Oh, that's ridiculous. Tell me the real news. Stop making things up." She smiled at him. Dan was always doing things like that to her. He was a real practical joker, but this was no joke.  
  
"They think you're a witch, Piper. Be careful and watch your tongue." Piper had a way of speaking her mind in public and it always got her in trouble. Dan knew this and was extremely worried for her.  
  
"Thank you. I'll be careful." Piper rode the rest of the way to town in deep thought. What if they caught her and put her on trial? No one who had gone on trial had been proven innocent. She thought there was no point in a trial. What if they hanged her? Her family would be devastated and would probably revolt against the community and then they would be hanged. Piper shuddered and tried to think of selling the eggs instead. Eventually she sold them to a young lady who Piper had never seen before for $1.30. 'Mama will be proud' she thought 'that's the highest price in over a month.' She turned her carriage and was about to get in it when she stopped and turned around. Brown eyes met green eyes and Piper stared at him with out realizing what she was doing. She nervously shifted her glance toward her feet.  
  
"Sorry, I don't think we've met."  
  
"I'm Leo Wyatt."  
  
"I'm Piper Halliwell. Nice to meet you."  
  
Leo tensed and muttered "Uh, you too."  
  
Leo helped Piper climb up to the seat of the carriage, as any gentleman would do. As she left Leo watched her until she was out of sight. Thoughts swarmed in his head. How could his father put on trial someone so beautiful and innocent as her? Why had he fallen for her after just one sight? He knew he had to stop her trial. She wasn't a witch, he was sure.  
  
Piper came home and put the carriage and mules away before announcing the news to her family.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous Piper! Who told you that?"  
  
"Dan, mama."  
  
"Do you honestly believe a word that boy says?"  
  
"She'll believe anything he says. I think she's smitten with him," said Prue from the other room.  
  
"Now Prudence." their mom started.  
  
"It's okay mama, she's only teasing." Piper and Prue had always been very close and liked to tease each other about boys. Their mom never understood them. Piper sat down next to Prue and they talked so their mom couldn't hear.  
  
"Do you think it's true, Prue?"  
  
"I don't really know. I don't think Dan was lying but whether he heard it correctly or not is another matter." Prue was 17 and always felt responsible for her little sister.  
  
"Yes. Do you think it wise for me to go to town tomorrow and ask around?"  
  
"I don't think it could hurt."  
  
Piper leaned back in her chair and thought of who and what she would ask tomorrow. 'Maybe I could ask that Leo boy,' she thought 'He is sure to know. He looked quite respectable.'  
  
TBC?...It's kind of weird, but please review and let me know what you think! 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! ( I am still writing No One Can Hear You Scream.I swear.  
  
An Excuse 2/?  
  
"Leo!"  
  
"Yes Father?" Leo Wyatt, a boy of 16 was the son of John Wyatt who was the meanest man in all of Salem, although he was probably most respected. If it weren't for him, they say, the town wouldn't still be standing.  
  
"Get the horses. There's to be a hanging today."  
  
"Yes father."  
  
"Oh, and Leo?"  
  
"Yes father?"  
  
"Act nice today. You need to follow in my footsteps when I get too old to do it anymore."  
  
"Yes father."  
  
"Stop yes fathering me! Get the horses!"  
  
Leo nodded and walked out towards the stable. He hated going to hangings and he avoided it as much as possible, but he had no excuse this time. Most of the women his father accused were innocent and even his father could tell. Leo wasn't at all close to his father and his mother had died of scurvy a year ago. He had no brothers or sisters and was always looking for someone to talk to. He had now brought the horses around to the front and he and his dad mounted them and trotted off to the hanging.  
  
- - -  
  
Dan came walking, nearly trotting up the lane to the Halliwell's house where Prue and Piper were outside feeding chickens and churning butter, respectively.  
  
"There's to be a hanging today!"  
  
Piper leaned on a nearby tree. "So we've heard. Who's a witch this time?"  
  
"Old Miss Lucy."  
  
"Miss Lucy? What did she do?" By this time Prue joined them at the tree.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"This is nonsense!" Piper declared. "They're going to hang all the women and only have men left!"  
  
Dan laughed. "Well that's all the news today, good bye!"  
  
"Good bye." Piper and Prue said in unison.  
  
"I'm going to town," Piper said as she turned around to face Prue.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well I want to see this hanging for myself and mama has more eggs to sell." In truth Piper wanted to find out more about the accusation on her. She wanted to find Leo..then it clicked.  
  
"Oh goodness!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I met a boy yesterday named Leo Wyatt."  
  
"What's bad about that?"  
  
"Wyatt, Prue, Wyatt!"  
  
"Oh! Son of John Wyatt?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Just stay away from him, then."  
  
"I was going to ask him about my accusation."  
  
"Piper, don't ask around. They'll think your nervous because you are a witch."  
  
"Thanks, Prue." And she went to town with the notion that Leo might not be the boy she thought he was.  
  
She traveled through town not wanting to be seen, sold her eggs, and quietly stood in the back of the crowd to watch the hanging. There stood John Wyatt ready to read the usual reading, an explanation of the sentence. Piper glanced around the crowd looking for Leo but couldn't see him.  
  
"Didn't expect to see you here." Piper turned around quickly.  
  
"Oh! Leo! Hello."  
  
"So you come to the hangings?"  
  
"No, I was just in town and I came by to see who they had accused this time."  
  
"I don't think it's right and I wish it weren't my father doing it."  
  
Leo wanted to make sure she knew he had nothing to do with it.  
  
"I think it's wrong too."  
  
"Did you here they accused Phoebe?"  
  
"Phoebe! Wow, her father is a great friend of your father!" Piper was shocked that even John Wyatt would accuse someone who is such a great friend.  
  
"I know. My father said that Phoebe's parents were the ones who accused her and my father just followed."  
  
"That's terrible!"  
  
"I know."  
  
After a couple moments of silence Leo started talking again, what he really wanted to tell her.  
  
"Look, I don't know how to say this but they think you're a witch."  
  
Piper looked down and finally said, "I know. I thought I could just come and act like I always did so they wouldn't suspect me."  
  
"Yes, you should do that. Tonight I'm going to try to convince my dad that you aren't a witch."  
  
"Thank you. Hopefully I have the pleasure of meeting you again."  
  
"I hope so too."  
  
TBC.uh, how lame was that ending? Sorry again for the shortness. The next chapter should be up shortly, hopefully. ( 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! They make me feel vewy special. ;)  
  
An Excuse Chapter 3  
  
Leo knocked on the wooden door separating him from his dad who wasn't in the best mood. Leo knew he would get yelled at but Piper was worth it. He gently knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in!" His dad's booming voice made him shudder but he pushed the door open.  
  
"Sit down!" Leo complied not wishing to do anything to upset his dad before he began talking.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I want to talk about Piper Halliwell, sir."  
  
"Oh the witch. Okay, talk away."  
  
"May I question you?"  
  
"Yes, go ahead." John looked away at the books on the wall and only half listened.  
  
"Why do you think she's a witch?" At this, John swung around and glared at his son.  
  
"Isn't it obvious?"  
  
"No Father, it's not."  
  
"Jesus, son! Don't you know anything?"  
  
"What constitutes a witch?"  
  
"Anything paranormal and Piper is just that!"  
  
"That's nonsense. We're all different! Just look at us!"  
  
"Do you want to get whipped?"  
  
Leo looked at his hands. "No sir," he whispered.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't hear you."  
  
"No sir," he said a little louder.  
  
"Then leave. You get no dinner!"  
  
Leo trudged to his room and cried. He had never cried before. His father wouldn't allow it. He wept not only for himself but for all the innocent witches that had been hanged because they were "paranormal" and for Piper.  
  
- - -  
  
The next day in town Piper found Leo with puffy eyes resting by a tree. She rode up to him.  
  
"Hi!" she greeted.  
  
"Shhhhh. My father really thinks you're a witch now. Be careful."  
  
John Wyatt spotted her mounted in her carriage. He started a low chant hoping that people would catch on.  
  
"Witch, witch, witch, witch." it was quiet growing louder with the people joining in. Piper glanced around and saw a mob of people surrounding her. Her eyes grew wide and Leo's mouth dropped open.  
  
"Witch, witch, witch."  
  
She had no place to go.  
  
TBC..yay, go me I so have the rest of this written. :D What is it with me and shortness? Next chap. should be up soon. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Remember me? Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry. But I'm still here and breathing and I even have a new chapter but it's short. Sorry again. But yay! I'm almost done! Anyway, enjoy!  
  
An Excuse 4/?  
  
"Witch, witch, witch, witch..." It was getting louder every second. Piper was now on the ground looking for away to get out of the enclosing circle of angry citizens. She saw a hole and as quickly as possible she ran out and headed for the woods. She glanced back noticing that the mob was following her. She ran faster but tripped on her dress. "Stupid dress!" She scrambled to her feet and ran again, this time picking up her dress. She hid behind a bush hoping they didn't see her. She couldn't go on running the whole time.  
  
"Leo, look over there!"  
  
Leo walked around the bush where Piper was hiding to find her nursing her arm probably caught on a tree.  
  
"No nothing here!" He yelled back and rode off. Piper was amazed. If he had been caught they both would have been hanged. She walked slowly out of the woods and back to her house explaining everything to her extremely worried family. When she was finally finished, there came a knock on the door and Piper rose to answer it. It was Leo.  
  
"Hi. I just wanted to make sure you're all right."  
  
"Yes I'm fine. I don't know how to thank you for what you did earlier."  
  
"You don't have to. I'd do anything to stop them from accusing you."  
  
Piper reddened deeply and muttered "thank you".  
  
"Well, I guess I should be going. Don't come to town tomorrow Piper. Send Prue or better yet all of you stay home."  
  
Piper nodded. "Bye Leo!"  
  
She skipped back to the kitchen where Prue and her mother were.  
  
"Someone's in a good mood," Prue stated.  
  
"It's just Leo. He's such a nice boy."  
  
Prue smiled and was about to say something when another knock came at the door. Piper went to answer it again. This time it was John Wyatt. Piper's face went pale and she shouted for Prue.  
  
"No one's going to save you this time. I locked Leo in the carriage." Piper looked at him in shock her mind whirring with thoughts. Was this all a trick? Was Leo sincere?  
  
"You're going to be staying in a jail before your trial. Your family will be allowed to visit you twice. Come on." He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the carriage.  
  
"I love you, Prue!"  
  
TBC  
  
Yeah.it sucked. 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Final chapter...yay! It's out of my haaaaaiiiir! Ever seen Monsters Inc.? Yeah, that's where that came from.Anyway, now that you think I'm totally weird...;) Enjoy.  
  
An Excuse 5/5  
  
Jail was a living hell for Piper only bettered by the visits from her family and Leo, with whom she hesitantly admitted she was falling in love. Her trial was nearing and Piper almost wished she could be hanged. She was frail and weak and she hadn't seen sunlight in more than a month. Her trial came and she sat in a chair at the front where she could be mocked and jeered. They went through the usual procedure, which was long and boring and served no real purpose. Finally they got to the verdict and sentence, which was obvious to everyone in the courthouse.  
  
"In this trial, Piper Halliwell vs. the Salem County Government, the court rules her guilty of performing witchcraft and owning the articles used in those performances. She will be." Leo stood up with a look of anger flickering in his eyes. His father wasn't too happy about being interrupted.  
  
"What do you want, son?"  
  
"I want you to stop this."  
  
"Jesus Christ, I can't just stop this and you know it."  
  
"Why do you think she's a witch?"  
  
"Why don't you?"  
  
"Because, because," Leo looked at his feet as he said this. "Because I think I love her."  
  
"Love isn't an excuse! How do you know you didn't fall in love with a witch?"  
  
"Because I know her better than you do. How do you know she's not innocent?"  
  
John stopped. He had no answer in this. He glared at his son with his green eyes flaring.  
  
"Hang them both!" His voice boomed and echoed through the court, followed by a gasp from the citizens seated there. Piper's eyes met Leo's and they shared a look; one, which made both of them, realized how much they truly did love each other.  
  
They were to be hanged that day, on the big oak tree where so many hangings had occurred before, but this was one to be remembered. Piper and Leo side by side were walked out on horses with hands tied together. They adjusted the nooses around their heads and pulled the rope from their hands.  
  
"Now!" The horses were pulled from under them with a jerk and Piper felt as though her neck had snapped. She heard the muttered talking from the crowd surrounding them and she wanted to yell and make all of them stop. She felt her legs go cold as the blood stopped reaching them and she screamed. Her cry resonated in the crowd as she turned her neck as best she could.  
  
"Leo," she whispered, "I never got a chance to say thank you and...and I love you, too."  
  
Leo didn't answer he just cautiously reached his hand for Piper to hold. She returned the gift and there they swung gently in the wind hand in hand. She heard the sobs of Prue and could almost feel the silent sobs of her mother, even though she knew her mother would be strong and wouldn't cry. Her arms fell cold as she lost her hearing and sight. The only feelings left was the faint beating of her heart against coarse rope and the feeling of Leo's cold hand engulfing her own, equally cold.  
  
"I'll see you in heaven."  
  
She couldn't hear herself but she had said it and knew in her heart Leo had heard it. She felt her body grow limp and the muscles in her neck gave out, leaving her head hanging on her chest. Her heart stopped with his and two souls were invited to the heaven gates. Piper realized she was still holding Leo's hand although it was now warm with love and a newly found strength. Leo turned to look at her and once again his green eyes met her brown ones, but there was more love shining in them then ever before. They entered the gates to the utopia before them and they walked in basking in the warm sunlight, knowing nothing could ever stop them from being together.  
  
Back on earth the citizens of Salem walked away from the dangling bodies more sad and touched then ever before. They built one big grave for Leo and Piper so they could be together eternally and didn't damn their souls to hell like the previous witches. Leo and Piper had taught all of them a lesson, even old John Wyatt that they would never forget. There wasn't another hanging in Salem after them and John resigned from his position in the government. Prue and her mother overcame their grief knowing that Leo and Piper were happy now and they could finally have peace in a perfect world.  
  
The End.  
  
A/N: Why did I kill them, you ask? Honestly, I don't know. My mind is a scary place. ;) 


End file.
